Rock and roll guitarist and songwriter Chuck Berry has died aged 90, the St. Charles County Police Department in Missouri has confirmed in a statement.
Born in St. Louis in 1926, Berry enjoyed a long career of over six decades, having released 19 studio albums between 1957 and 1979, and toured extensively throughout his career. He had been due to release a new album, Chuck, his first studio album since 1979, this year.
He was credited with developing rhythm and blues into the qualities that later defined rock and roll music, with hits such as ‘Johnny B. Goode’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ and ‘Rock And Roll Music’. Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when it opened in 1986.
The St. Charles County Police Department said that they responded to a medical emergency at a home in the area at approximately 12.40pm local time.
"Inside the home, first responders observed an unresponsive man and immediately administered lifesaving techniques," the police department said. "Unfortunately, the 90-year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1.26pm."
The department added that Berry’s family had requested privacy "during this time of bereavement".
